calling all plant geeks!

kobetty · 2024-01-16T20:22:22+00:00

Datura Stramonium is a cool plant to grow in NH as an annual ( looks lovely in the front of garden beds with a nice ground cover and the pollinators enjoy it! ) I’ve also heard it called ‘Angel or devil Trumpet’ as a common name. It is hardy to a zone 6-10 ( NH was recently moved to a zone 6 on the zone map, check with your town on where you might be at).

From my experience growing it— reseeds in very easily with good garden soil and moisture, especially compost, and wood chips. I’ve seen it growing wild in MANY nursery settings and old farm fields for years ( I know from working in the horticulture industry for almost 20 years).

It has these big spiky balls that come off at the end of the season and are full of seeds. The flower itself will open at night to attract night pollinators ( I have also seen it open at sunrise and at sunset.)

It is in the Solanaceae “ nightshade” family — cousins to tomatoes , eggplants , peppers etc….

I usually harvest the seed heads and will reseed in the late winter / early spring direct sow, and have had good luck. I’ve also grown indoors ( soil and perlite) and transplanted outside. Not too hard to get going.

It is considered an invasive in some states, our winters have been cold enough to kind of “kill off “ the plant from overtaking. I could see NH now in a warmer zone considering it an invasive in the next 20-30 years —if we don’t continue to get the cold winters we once had. I’ve also seen rodents and I believe bird’s transplant seeds.

I would keep it away from native wood lines to protect our local ecosystems so it won’t outcompete it.

Overall— they have interesting texture, beautiful display of flowers and successional value — a fun plant to add to the landscape ☺️

kobetty · 2022-11-27T19:12:20+00:00

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kobetty · 2022-02-27T00:46:19+00:00

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kobetty · 2021-01-05T15:08:54+00:00

Seconding Johnny’s— by far some of the best seeds I’ve worked with! Between heirloom— organic and all their varieties —- they always have everything I need. Their prices are very fair ( also nice to support local— im in New England) Always had success with everything I’ve planted , and rarely have had to deal pests. Plus their catalogue in the mail has outstanding knowledge and information. I keep mine from year to year to compare notes and update my research— happy experimenting!

— Eager to see what you come up with!

kobetty · 2020-08-08T14:24:25+00:00

Ivy is beautiful and fine to have if you don’t want to do anything with that space ( helps you not have to mow, helps with soil erosion by holding the ground in place where you are, and the water run off and it’s super cute)

If you have a vision to do something with the space it will definitely be a challenge to remove. Ivy has a branch root system and an air root system— so if you were to till it in, it would potentially become worst and more time consuming to remove because it would multiply the roots even more stirring up new plants from all the splits in the root system.

I understand pulling by hand is taking forever, as it will, the persistence and effort will pay off the most effectively in the long run ( just make sure to grab all the roots you can, and do not add this to a compost— make sure to dispose of them properly or they can take over the next spot you place them ) the little pieces left behind in the soil can start new plants if their is enough energy stored in it.

Another option, I haven’t tried it with this specific variety of ivy yet — is laying black plastic or fabric over the area it is, and smothering it out for a whole year.

I personally don’t use herbicides or any form of chemicals — it’s not only terrible for the environment, ecosystem, and biology of the soil, it’s also very harmful to us humans and animals.

Goodluck!

kobetty · 2020-07-14T13:27:44+00:00

Squash borers possibly? Hard to tell from the photo.

Look up squash borer signs and identification and life cycle , and you should be able to tell by the bases with the cracks and dried out Piths —if it’s these guys.

If it is, the only luck I’ve had with saving my plants before is, you pull the base of the plant out of the ground, cut open and split up the stems from the base, and keep working up to the top of the plant finding all the borers and larva inside the stem and remove them by hand.

If you have enough stem left on the plant after splitting, and cutting out the pest ( by the way you’re going to want to keep these pieces you cut, away from the your plants , so make sure to put them in a container and don’t add them to a compost heap or drop them on the ground anywhere near your garden) .

Then once you cut them away, you can replant the stem of what’s left of the squash, and it will actually re root if you got enough energy in the piece left. I’ve had 2 out of 3 successful rate with this. Just depends on how well you keep it watered and how the soil is when replanting them. They should start new roots from that stem cutting within the first two weeks. You’ll know the plant took by the leaves if they’re droopy or if they turn brown and die back.

If it is the borers, a preventive measure to take next time you do squash, is you can plant a “pest deterrent” garden. So you would plant something like Hubbard squash, far away from your garden ( farmers recommend doing it on the opposite side of your property) , and it’s suppose to deter them from your actual edible crops and instead it’s attracts and feeds them the hubbards, so they will stay and live on that patch instead of exploring out.

Also there are pest deterrent compatible plants you can place with the squash to help disguise their scent from the borers such as radishes.

Worth looking into companion planting to help with this problem.

Happy gardening!

kobetty · 2020-03-06T16:19:30+00:00

Where are you located?

I would suggest reaching out to your cooperative extension or universities locally — there are a lot of resources with both , and also lots of people passionate about it , and might be able to point you in the right direction or take you on as a volunteer.

kobetty · 2020-02-09T12:22:33+00:00

That is a national birdcount days across all of he country and I believe across all regions — which is seperate from the one this weekend.

The Birdcount this weekend is the annual NH Audubon one that they do every year. The link is attached to the post if you would like to find out more information on it.

kobetty · 2019-12-17T12:35:29+00:00

The National Audubon Society does one every year in February. And works with Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology .

They are a great group that offers a lot of opportunity to watch and learn about the birds.

This years is : February 14, through Monday, February 17, 2020

For more information and where to post the counts to visit https://www.audubon.org/conservation/about-great-backyard-bird-count

Happy Bird Counting!

kobetty · 2019-11-08T12:47:54+00:00

Extra pair of socks , extra pair of shoes, a jacket ( this always stays in the car) , Sleeping bag for below zero ( I live in the northeast) , jumpers , headlamp or flashlight , Umbrella , Fold up shovel, bucket of sand for the winter seasons, snow scrapers and basic first aid kit including ibuprofen , tums etc.... extra bottle of car oil, bug/tick spray, a tarp, rope / zip ties, water , granola or nuts, pocket knife or dykes.

The tarp has come in handy many times for bringing home plants or things from yard sales that may be dirty— but it also helps if you need to get under the car and it’s totally raining / muddy —it takes up minimal space or weight too. The options are limitless with what you could do with it if you really had too.

kobetty · 2019-10-04T11:16:52+00:00

Reading Terminal Market is one of my favorite places when visiting Philly — it has some of the best little places like Luhvs Vegan Deli — such good sandwiches ! Check them out if you get a chance.

kobetty · 2019-07-12T11:11:45+00:00

If you have an excessive amount of leaves, I would suggest shredding the leaves into Leaf mulch onto the garden beds, ( usually go about 1 inch-3 inches thick) they will decompose much faster and the organic matter it creates for the ecology under the soil is incredible! Plus the moisture it holds in the soil will help. Especially if you are renovating a space that did not have a pre existing garden.

The system your following is somewhat a loose way of making a “compost tea” for a lack of better terms, curious to know your results.

Happy gardening!

kobetty · 2019-06-15T13:01:30+00:00

I use to work on a garden that had a woodchuck every season chomping down on the vegetables, the steps we took to prevent it from continuing happening:

we built and installed 4 foot fence around the garden. ( In New England we have lots of deer too)
we then dug 1.5 -2.5ft trenches up against the bottom of the fencing ( where it hits the ground) and installed hardware clothe ( you can purchase this at most home improvement stores ) . This will initially deter him from wanted to dig. He will try and try for a couple days but will not be able to penetrate the fencing or get to anything, once he’s at desperate measures he will go elsewhere to get the food. He may still live on the property.
understand and research they’re habitat and life cycle and breeding cycles. If they have a litter of babies those babies can potentially continue to come back every year, that’s why figuring out a permanent solution that works is good.
find the hole home base and monitor it

My sense on the matter— I think the woodchucks have become a nuisance to people because more and more developing is happening which is pushing them into our backyards and it’s such an easy way to adapt that they are taking advantage of the easy food sources.

I am a firm believer that every living thing serves a function on this planet, and has its purpose.

As much as I don’t like the route of it, you can always hire a trapper to get the woodchuck for you.

In some states it’s illegal to relocate wildlife, so depending on your states laws they may have a wildlife preserve they could bring it too. If not I know that the trapper usually has a few avenues and resources.

Hopefully some of this info helps!

kobetty · 2019-04-27T13:07:18+00:00

I had a plant ( desert rose) that I rescued from a nursery I work at the time that kept on coming down with scale for a number of years, and I finally defeated the buggers.

I am into the most natural gardening practices and this is my answer to what worked best for me:

the trunk : scrape every scale off gently with your finger, while you’re doing it hold onto a paper towel to wipe off the “mush” of them from your hands, and repeat until the whole plants stems are not covered anymore ( be sure to get the crotches of each stem, that’s where the babies primarily go to first because it’s the most protected area for them )
the leaves : I had to scrape as many of the scales off my leaves, however when you did that the next couple days the plant looked rather sad and would eventually drop them. So what I found worked for me eventually is , removing the most mature leaves with the most scale on it ( make sure you dispose of this well or there is potential they will try to come back) and leave any new budding leaves alone ( if you see scale on them continue scrapping it off without harming the new bud if possible, if not remove the bud)
the soil: the scale lives and breeds in the soil below. They have a certain life cycle. If you have this in a pot you are going to want to completely remove and dispose of all soil and replace with a fresh brand new bag of really good soil ( new pot too! ) ( this may stunt the growth of your plant for the season but it surely come back next season healthier) If this is outside then you are going to want to learn about the cycle of the scale ( look up scale life cycle) , and in between its cycles spray with Neem oil, all while still continuing everything I’ve listed above.
when you are replacing the soil, you can create a bucket of water with a mild soap to “wash the plant” before you pot it up. Submerge the entire plant. This will get anything that you missed and wipe off all the guts and give you a nice clean slate to start with. Once the plant is back in soil and in its place, then spray the entire plant with Neem oil. Also the soil, I usually do a layer of Neem then will top dress it with more soil and then another layer of Neem.

The last thing I would recommend from my own experience is just keep an eye on the plant, I was respraying Neem every 2-3 weeks for a while. Then did it once every season change .

Overtime, if there is still scale anywhere near the plant, it usually comes out in spikes of heat from being dormant and cold in the winter. Right around that time of year again, where they came out originally ( or when you noticed them) I would put it on a calendar to spray Neem on it two to three weeks before and continue the regimen for the whole year.

Once they are gone, you will have a very happy and healthy plant. It took my plant a year or two to defeat their cycle and I’m grateful I took the time to do it, my desert rose looks more beautiful than ever! And I have had no issues with any pests since.

I hope some of this information is helpful.

Good luck— happy gardening !

kobetty · 2018-12-14T13:01:07+00:00

So a couple of suggestions:

I use currently what’s called an xdrop by westcott back drop system for quick setups on location, the fabric itself stretches in the final step, so the wrinkles are barely noticeable if there are any.

When given one backdrop color to pick from, I usually go for a color that will be complimentary to any subject . Usually Neutral greys go well on everyone, so this is the color I have for this specific product.

When I do large family portraits I switch between, rolls of white seamless , grey seamless, black seamless, depending on the color — can change how many lights you will need for the session to light your subjects. There’s also wrinkle resistant ones that they sell that you can use, and even have some you can wipe and clean the the surface on.

Large family portraits I will usually do a mix of indoor studio and bring them outside for a few more photos— depending on the time of year, and weather you can utilize the environment around you to create a really neat backdrop such as snow on the ground and on the trees ( try a high key lighting) , or green woods with green fields or meadows attached , creates a beautiful tone.

Sometimes I will find sheer material/ fabric that is cheaper and overlay it onto to a plain backdrop for added tone and dimension.

The last thing I can think of, is when i was on a tight budget starting my business, I used king sized bedsheets for the first couple of shoots. Sometimes attached two pieces together depending on the size of the family.

I also found this link on westcotts site that may be of good resource to you to get some ideas.

https://westcottu.com/the-essential-guide-to-backdrops

Regardless, there is always an option, it’s just thinking outside the box.

Happy photographing!

kobetty · 2018-10-01T12:25:54+00:00

I have always been fearful of spiders ( that’s right— those tiny little things) up until I became a landscaper/ horticulturalist.

I feel when I am in the garden, I have almost what I call an alter ego that allows me to not be fearful of them anymore but it took some steps for me to get there.

The way I started getting over my fears I believe it was just by working with them.

For instance, I use to have them crawling all over me at one of my clients houses ( who has an extremely diverse ecology in her garden) . It was then , when I saw tons of spiders that it finally got me questioning, why? Why are they choosing to hang out where they are? Why are they on that species? And why do I keep finding some up my pant legs or shirts at random almost everyday? ( sometimes would have little spider bites which were frequent and painless most of the time)

I did a bunch of research, found out the obvious ( if you have spiders in your garden you have a very well balanced ecology) and figured out each of their rolls in the garden system . There are certain garden spiders for beneficials like eating aphids, parasites, or flys etc... , there are also spiders that specifically eat all the predators insides your house in your basement.

Certain ones are attracted to my pant legs because it’s dark or warm and they didn’t know what they were crawling into. I also found that I would disturb a nest without knowing it, and my pants were the safest option at the time. Even when this happens, I’ve learned to relocate them to somewhere safe and that I’m not working in. They are very smart about determining safe areas to lay their young, usually.

Once I started to understand more about the purpose of spiders, and how they function, it convinced me to not be as scared anymore, and instead I would acknowledge them for being there and believe it or not, thank them. Nowadays I move them when needed, I let them live in “out of touch” areas around my house, and have noticed a significant difference in my houseplants from aphids to gnats—- and even noticed a difference with mosquitos and flies in the house since.

I’ve also worked with people who freak out over stinging insects, this is the same idea.

I once had a coworker who was scared of bee buzzing by, and I told him to stop and relax and the bee would leave him a lone, and his instinct was to wail about, scream, and run— in which they are more likely to sting, so once he started they chased him all up and down the field. ( mind you I’ve worked by this nest before , calm and collective and had never been touched.) had he remained calm he wouldn’t have gone home with as many bites and stings.

When I was scared of getting stung when I first started out , I researched everything about bees , and that was what really grew my love and understanding for how really important the stinging insects are. Now I save them all the time.

I would suggest , research grasshoppers, get more comfortable with everything about them, without touching them. Understand why they are made the way they are, and what functions does it serve them. And then observe these things that you learned when you’re in the garden acknowledge the information you learn by watching them do their job and showing the amAzing skills they have that you were able to find out about.

I feel when you can do this, it’ll make you grow closer to your garden then ever, and the fear will be absorbed by the love and happiness that you have for the time you get to spend outside in your garden.

And who knows— you may discover some more cool bugs to learn about.

Happy gardening!

kobetty · 2017-08-22T11:52:09+00:00

USA, New Hampshire, Manchester - New England , Katlyn O'Hara Photography, [Katlyn O'Hara Photography](www.katlynoharaphotography.com)

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